Supporting mums with quality products

Four years ago Surf Coast mother of two Phoebe Giustra purchased By Sampson and Delilah and has since been providing parents and expectant parents with pregnancy, postpartum and baby essentials.

Giustra took on the role of being a business owner after the birth of her second child. She now juggles her two children, an e-commerce platform and work as an intensive care nurse.

The incorporation of By Sampson and Delilah in Giustra’s life was to not only provide premier and trusted products to her customers but also give her the flexibility she needed with her children.

By Sampson and Delilah is an online store stocking everything from dummies and blankets, to clothing, gift boxes, skincare, keepsakes and more.

 

Since purchasing the business, the mother of two has turned it into her own, adding new products and expanding the range.

“I’ve slowly added my own touch to it of all things through my pregnancy, products I felt like I couldn’t live without and then through the postpartum period, things that I felt were essential,” she said.

As her children get older, her products are chosen based on their quality.

“It’s a lot of word of mouth or trialling products or just chatting with friends, or I will give samples to my pregnant and postpartum friend,” she said.

The specialisation in pregnancy and postpartum was sparked by a lack of high-quality products being available all under the one roof, leading many to turn online, with added costs in shipping.

 

“I felt like there was a deficit in the market for that one place where you can get everything that didn’t feel a bit gimmicky or oversold by celebrities or influencers,” she said.

The majority of products By Sampson and Delilah stock are from women-based businesses with Giustra ensuring each item meets her high quality standards.

“I try and maintain that, and when I have people reaching out to me, I always question what their values are and their business model.

“I don’t want to be stocking things that don’t really align with my values of high quality, good, Australian products.”

 

Giustra is relatable to her customers, having gone through many of the same experiences and she believes this is one of the factors making her business standout.

“I’ve been there, I’m going through the motherhood challenges with my customers. I’ve either done it or going through it. I feel like I’m relatable.”

Being a small business, everything is done though Giustra, ensuring she provides all her customers with a personalised experience, further separating her from the bigger chains.

“No matter what kind of form of communication, at the end of the day, it all goes through me, whereas I guess some of the other businesses, you’re going through a few different people.”

 

Giustra said it’s the positive side of the business she enjoys most, watching people as they go through their pregnancy journey and into motherhood.

“The best part is when someone you’ve been chatting to through their pregnancy sends you a photo of them with their baby – it’s the best part ever.

“I get really psyched for my customers and following their journeys and watching their babies grow up without being so emotionally involved in it.”

Along with helping people choose their products Giustra is also a supportive figure for people on their journey to, and through, being parents.

She hopes through the business, people feel as though they’re part of a community, regardless of if they’re a customer or not.

 

People are encouraged to reach out with any questions around pregnancy, postpartum and toddlers in what is a safe space.

Giustra has also started attending local markets, providing her with an opportunity to meet some of her customers in person.

“They’ll specifically come to the market to meet me and introduce themselves and introduce their kids to me, which is the part I really enjoy, meeting them face to face.”

Going the extra mile for her customers is common for Giustra, understanding new mums don’t want to be out shopping, she has the added options for locals to pick up from her door.

“You don’t have to disturb the kids, you don’t have to get other kids out of the car, it’s a very convenient way,” she said.

“If I know any mum is struggling and she’s desperate for a product, I will go out of my way to make sure she gets it delivered to her.”

As the business makes its way into its fifth year of operation, Giustra hopes to keep expanding and one day have a bigger office space for herself with the potential of a small shopfront featuring the most popular items.

For more, head to bysampsonanddelilah.com.au